Missed Front Desk Admin Opportunities in Health Businesses?

Posted on May 10, 2012 by Paul Wright

I have been working hard over the past few weeks with my one on one coaching clients in the area of front desk and enquiry scripts – with great results.

This area has long been one of the biggest money leaks in business and needs to be a priority for all business owners.

I firmly believe that all health business owners must have a list of scripts that are used by all team members when confronted with the most common situations and enquiries.

You front desk team, and your therapists if they take calls or are asked questions by potential clients, need to know what to say when asked questions like these: Continue reading →

Posted in Advertising and Marketing, Front Desk Management | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

Are You a Lecturer – Then Why Not?

Posted on May 4, 2012 by Paul Wright

I learnt very early in my business career the importance of lecturing, speaking and presenting as a means to promote my businesses and raise my profile.

There is nothing more powerful than to stand in front of an audience and give a presentation on your topic of expertise – even better if the lecture is half decent.

The good news is that even if you are not a polished speaker – with 50% of the population listing “public speaking” as their second biggest life fear – second only to “Death” – it is not hard to see why speakers are held in such high regard by most audiences.

I encourage all health professionals to get cracking and start delivering seminars, lectures and in-services as often as you can to whoever will listen.

Here are a couple of tips from someone who has been on the lecturing stage for most of my professional life –i.e. ME Continue reading →

Posted in Advertising and Marketing, Health Business Management, Marketing for Health Professionals | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Are You a Failure? I Hope So ……

Posted on April 17, 2012 by Paul Wright

I am currently reading a great book by best-selling leadership educator – John C Maxwell – titled “Failing Forward“.

This excellent resource was recommended to me by the co-founder of Gloria Jeans coffee franchise – Peter Irvine – who I recently had the pleasure of interviewing for my Profit Club program CD of the Month.

In his book – Maxwell talks about how we all need to turn mistakes into stepping stones for success and how we should always be learning from our mistakes – rather than worry about them and letting past failure slow us down from future success.

He points out that the major difference between average people and achieving people is their perception of and response to failure.

The achievers typically take responsibility for their failure, learn from the experience, understand that failure is just part of the success process, challenge outdated assumptions, take new risks and persevere.

Here are a couple of the biggest failures I have had in my business life – I am sure you can relate to some of them: Continue reading →

Posted in Health Business Management, Marketing for Health Professionals | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

The Biggest Key to Business and Life Success Is ….

Posted on April 5, 2012 by Paul Wright

Last Friday and Saturday I attended an incredible seminar with one of Australia’s leading business experts – Tony Gattari – the man who took Harvey Norman computers from $12 million turnover to $565 million in just 9 years.

The more I listen and learn from incredible business and life experts like Tony – the more I realise that to be a success in any endeavour requires you to take action. Continue reading →

Posted in Health Business Management, Marketing for Health Professionals, Why Health professionals Operate Poor Businesses | Tagged , , , , , | 1 Comment

Are You Letting Down Your Clients and Patients?

Posted on March 27, 2012 by Paul Wright

One of the things I like to do with my private coaching clients is to look closely at the words they use when outlining treatment plans and programs to their clients and patients.

This training helps them sound more professional, in control and confident – which ultimately increases the clients trust and helps all parties achieve a better outcome.

In one of my coaching sessions a client was delivering a practice treatment plan to me and said:

“You can also get this Swiss Ball if you like to do your exercises at home – it may help”

I stopped the session immediately and said “NO, NO, NO, NO “

What a wimpy, watered down, soft and unconfident statement. Continue reading →

Posted in Advertising and Marketing, Health Business Management, Marketing for Health Professionals | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Where Will I Get My Haircut Now?

Posted on March 15, 2012 by Paul Wright

Tragedy has struck at my local shopping centre.

I walked past my barbers salon this morning only to be faced with an empty shop – no clippers, no chairs, no hair on the floor – nothing.

The note on the front door – in hand written text – said:

“Peters salon is no longer open – thanks”.

No forwarding number, no follow up letters – nothing – just an empty shop.

Other than my immediate concern of where I will get my next haircut – my business brain quickly thought about what went wrong with Peters business and how a previously profitable enterprise simply  disappeared overnight.

But more importantly I thought that Peter had spent the last 10 years in that little shop – giving great service – but now has nothing to show for it.

The business problem Peter failed to appreciate until it was too late – was he did not get his business ready to sell – until it was too late.

He also made a few key business mistakes: Continue reading →

Posted in Advertising and Marketing, Buying and Selling Health Businesses, Health Business Management, Marketing for Health Professionals | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Should I Display My Fees?

Posted on March 6, 2012 by Paul Wright

I had an interesting question in my Profit Club member forum this week from a long term Profit Clubber asking if I thought he should list his consultation fees on his website.

He is a market leader in his demographic, is the most expensive provider in the area, and wants to actively promote the fact that he is the most expensive provider around.

This is actually a very solid marketing strategy as higher fees encourage high quality clients and gives the very obvious external impression of high quality care in your organisation.

I always tried to be the highest priced provider in the area when I had my clinics for this exact same reason.

However, the fundamental problem with displaying your fees (high or low as they may be) on your website – is that unless you have put a huge amount of time into the design, text, and layout of your website – there is no way that a potential client can make a decision on whether or not the price you post on your site is a fair and reasonable transfer of value. Continue reading →

Posted in Health Business Management, Marketing for Health Professionals, Prices and Insurance Companies | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Cut Price Health Care – a Recipe for Disaster

Posted on February 27, 2012 by Paul Wright

I received a rather disturbing email last week from a current “Profit Club” member that I wanted to mention to all health professionals and health business owners.

The email sender is a well respected health professional with a sound business that had been doing well and providing a great service to his clients and community – like most of you I suspect.

The disturbing part of the email was when he mentioned how a new clinic had opened just down the road from his practice and have been charging greatly reduced fees in an attempt to gain market share.

My Profit Club member was desperately worried that this new “cut price clinic” will effectively destroy his business and lead to a price war that he just does not want to be part of.

I think this is a very common issue with many health professionals and one that I think needs to be addressed – in case you are considering using the same “cut price tactic” in your marketing plan.

My advice to the more expensive clinic owner would be to: Continue reading →

Posted in Finance and KPIs, Health Business Management, Marketing for Health Professionals, Prices and Insurance Companies | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

You Are Not Your Client

Posted on February 8, 2012 by Paul Wright

I continue to be amazed at how unaware many health professionals are about the risks their clients take when they book an appointment or ask for help.

As health professionals – we are comfortable in a health care setting, are used to discussing medical issues, have no trouble taking our clothes off for an examination (we did it for years at university), and are able to ask good questions of our health providers.

But spare a thought for your poor patient and clients.

When they make an appointment to see you they may have one of more of the following concerns: Continue reading →

Posted in Health Business Management, Marketing for Health Professionals, Why Health professionals Operate Poor Businesses | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Health Business Lessons from Oma’s Kitchen

Posted on February 2, 2012 by Paul Wright

It is not often that I am impressed by the service and dining experience delivered at a restaurant – maybe I am dining at McDonalds too much and only get served by 14 year olds asking if I want fries with that.

However – I recently dined at a new restaurant in the heart of Newcastle (Australia) – called Oma’s Kitchen (happy to give them a mention)   a simple layout, huge image of a farmhouse and the Alps on the wall, and a great selection of authentic German foods on the menu.

Now – what has this got to do with running a great health business – well here goes.

We were met by Mark – the restaurant owner and shown to our seats – he then said something like: Continue reading →

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